Okay, guys, here's the latest installment in the ToTo-verse. Sorry for the delay, but y'all know what real life is like sometimes. It may help to have read the first three stories in the series (Thinking Outside The Box, Take Me Out To The Ballgame, Best Laid Plans) but I believe this does work as a standalone piece as well.
The title comes from a wonderful Helen Keller quote - "Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light." I felt like Tony was walking alone in the light a lot during the whole La Grenouille arc, and I like the idea of someone having his back.
Good ol' legalities: I own nothing except Ellington's and Sam - they're all mine. I'm just playing in the sandbox that the wonderful NCIS guys and gals, and especially the incredibly talented Michael Weatherly and Joe Spano, have given us.
FBI Agent Tobias Fornell's thoughts were jumbled as he strolled along the crowded Georgetown street. It had been a long, and ultimately unproductive, day but he didn't really want to go home to his empty house. Emily was with her mother and the place was just too quiet without her there, so here he was, trying to find a place that wasn't jammed with university kids to have a beer and a burger.
A familiar face in the crowd caught his eye, and he smiled as he walked towards Very Special Agent Tony DiNozzo. The smile slid off his face as he saw a panicked look flit cross Tony's face before he turned to say something to the attractive woman by his side. Before Tobias could say anything, Tony strode up to him. "Farmer, you old dog," he said, clapping Tobias on the shoulder. "I thought you had a late lecture tonight. Playing hooky?" The hand on his shoulder tightened fractionally.
Only his FBI training kept Tobias from reacting with surprise. "That's more your style than mine, isn't it?" he asked, cocking an eyebrow and silently willing Tony to give him more information. He was pleased to see Tony relax a bit at his acceptance of the opening. Obviously Tony was under cover and Tobias didn't want to do or say anything that might blow that cover.
Tony's companion, who had caught up to them by that time, chose that moment to speak up. "Tony seems to have forgotten his manners," she said, fond exasperation colouring her tone. "I'm Jeanne, Tony's girlfriend. I take it you work with Tony at the university?"
Thanking god for small mercies, Tobias took Jeanne's outstretched hand. "Yes, I teach Russian and French literature," he said. He could almost feel Tony's eyebrows rise at his statement.
"I'm sorry, sweetheart, you're right. Tobias, meet Jeanne," Tony said, slipping an arm around her shoulders. "Tobias and I are planning a joint lecture on translating classic literature from the page to the movie screen."
"Yes," Tobias interjected, "you know, Anna Karenina, War and Peace, Les Miserables, that sort of thing. Which reminds me," he said, looking at Tony, "are you still good to get together tomorrow and discuss the syllabus?" He knew that Tony would recognize his statement wasn't a request.
"You still have the late shift at the hospital tomorrow night, right?" Tony asked Jeanne. When she nodded he turned back to Tobias. "Looks like I'm fine, then. Seven p.m. at the usual place?"
Tobias nodded, understanding that Tony was talking about Ellington's, a jazz club they went to fairly regularly. "Well then," he said, "I should let you get back to your evening. Nice to have met you, Miss…" He trailed off, realizing Tony hadn't mentioned his girlfriend's last name.
"Benoit", she said, holding her hand out again for him to shake. "But please, call me Jeanne."
"A pleasure, Jeanne," Tobias said, kissing her outstretched hand. He figured it would be an apropos gesture for a professor of classical literature. He was rewarded with a shy smile and blush from Jeanne.
"Oh, sure, Farmer. Make me look bad," Tony said, mock-glaring at Tobias. Beside him, Jeanne giggled, a pleasant, melodious sound.
"It's just too easy, Tony, you know that," Tobias said, shaking Tony's hand. "Anyway, I'd better get going. Catch you tomorrow, okay?"
Tobias was in his office early the next morning, before his team – and most of the day-duty FBI agents, for that matter – had arrived. The first thing he did was run a search on Tony's "girlfriend", Jeanne Benoit, making sure to keep under the radar and not raise any flags. What he found concerned him greatly. He called Tony, but only got his voicemail. The man was either busy or, more likely, avoiding his call. Leaving a message, he turned his attention to his current case.
The case kept him busy for the rest of the day – unlike some TV dramas, his cases didn't get neatly wrapped up in an hour – and it was close to seven p.m. before he was able to get to a point he could leave the case at. Fortunately Ellington's was only a few blocks from FBI headquarters. Tony wasn't there yet when he arrived, and for a moment he wondered if the other man had decided not to come. He knew Tony, though, and if that was the case then he would have phoned Tobias to let him know.
"Agent Fornell," Sam, the owner and bartender, came out from behind the bar to greet Tobias. "Tony asked me to let you know that he's running a bit late. You guys sitting at the bar tonight, or do you want a booth?"
"Can we have the Fitzgerald booth?" Tobias asked. All the booths at Ellington's were named after famous jazz and blues singers; the one named after the incomparable Ella was set back from the others and a bit more private. Sam nodded and gestured got Tobias to head over to the booth while he got a bottle of wine and two glasses and brought them over. Tobias raised an eyebrow when he saw the bottle. It was a Tommassi Ripasso which, while not the most expensive of wines, was still more than what they usually drank when they were at Ellington's.
"Tony's request," Sam said, pouring two generous glasses. "He said…"
"I said hopefully it would put you in a good enough mood you wouldn't shoot me on sight," Tony said, coming up behind the other man. After taking their order for two plates of spaghetti bolognaise Sam slipped away, giving the two men their privacy.
"Tell me you're not going after La Grenouille, Tony," Tobias said quietly. Tony's guilty look told him everything he needed to know. "Tony…" he murmured, squeezing the bridge of his nose. Taking a deep breath, he continued. "Does Gibbs know?"
"No," Tony said, his voice going hard. "And you're not going to tell him, either."
"Tony…"
"Tobias, no. This started before he came back, and he's got a lot on his plate at the moment."
Tobias couldn't help but think that Tony had a lot on his plate too, but refrained from pointing that out. "He still treating you like crap?" he asked instead.
"No. Well, not really," Tony amended when Tobias glared at him. "It's nothing I can't handle."
Tobias looked skeptical, but realized that arguing further wouldn't do any good; it was a battle he wasn't going to win.
The two men were quiet as Sam brought their food over and they began to eat, listening to the jazz trio that had taken the stage. Or rather Tobias began to eat; Tony just toyed with his spaghetti, moving it around his plate, seemingly lost in thought. "Jenny offered me the team lead spot in Rota," he finally said softly, not looking at the other man.
Tobias was surprised at Tony's familiarity in calling the director of NCIS – his boss – by her first name, but quickly recovered. "Tony, that's great! You deserve it." He realized he was going to miss the other man, would miss their dinners together and their trips to Baltimore to watch the Orioles play.
Tony hunched his shoulders and seemed to retreat further into himself. "I turned it down," he said, so softly that Tobias had to strain to hear him over the energetic version of 'Rondo a la Turk' the musicians were playing. Before he could say anything in response, Tony continued. "I know, I know, Tobias. But Gibbs still isn't one hundred percent. He called Ziva 'Kate' the other day," he finished, stabbing viciously at his pasta.
Tobias noticed Tony was avoiding looking at him, and his own eyes narrowed. "No," he said, staring at the other man, "that's not it…Christ, Tony, you're not falling for La Grenouille's daughter are you?"
"What? No way, Tobias. Jenny figures we can get to The Frog through Jeanne. She's a mark, that's all." Tony's words sounded sincere, but Tobias didn't believe him for a moment. The other man's smile was forced, and he still wouldn't meet Tobias' eyes. The FBI agent didn't say anything, though, and after a moment Tony sighed and looked at him. "I know what I'm doing."
Tobias doubted that. "If you say so, Tony," he said mildly. "But if you need backup, you let me know. No, no arguments," he said as Tony started to protest. "I've set up 'Tobias Farmer' in the Legends database so if anyone checks he'll show up as legit. So, tell me more about who you're supposed to be so I won't screw anything up."
The look of gratitude Tony gave him as the younger man started to speak told him more than he wanted to know about his official backup on the op. He only hoped the whole thing wouldn't blow up in Tony's face.
So, I've been watching the absolutely wonderful TV series "Legends" with Sean Bean, and couldn't resist adding the idea to this story. Hope you enjoyed - concrit always welcome.